6 Immigrants Murdered in Georgia

A Sign of Intolerable Times

by Sunsara Taylor

Revolution #018, October 16, 2005, posted at revcom.us

Deep in the lynching belt:

Six Mexican immigrant men just outside Tifton, Georgia were killed overnight on September 30: beaten with an aluminum bat and shot. One immigrant woman was raped. Several others were critically injured. There have been 20 other similar incidents in this area recently.

The New York Times only gave this story 61 words, and most mainstream press did not even report it. Can you imagine five white businessmen beaten to death with an aluminum bat in their own homes not becoming front-page news in every single paper?

I read that Texas passed a new ordinance against parking or camping along the road outside Dubya’s Crawford ranch to prevent another war-mother from asking him simple questions. Anyone feel like holding their breath to see if there will be a peep from any legislators to prevent racist thugs from spewing their bigotry and inciting vigilante violence?

Oh wait--last I checked those in power WERE the ones singing the praises of the racist vigilantes.

Remember Schwarzenegger, the Nazi-sympathizing California governor, and others praising the Minutemen?

How about FEMA’s current policy to report (and help deport) immigrant victims of Katrina, preventing many from collecting aid, claiming their dead, or even being counted in the official death count?

What about the reports from towns like St. Helena where racist residents talk openly about wanting to keep the Black evacuees from New Orleans out of "their towns"?

Nope, last I heard, there was no outcry or denunciation from the highest offices in the land.

Last I checked, the illegitimate commander-in-chief was still smirking and bragging about the "great traditions" of this country and prancing around in a cowboy hat.

Just as the rise of extra-legal attacks on Jewish people in the late 1930’s in Germany was a glimpse of the future spurred on by government policy, this attack in Tifton is more the new norm than an anomaly.

Basta! Enough! As it says in the Call for The World Can’t Wait--Drive Out the Bush Regime, "That which you will not resist and mobilize to stop, you will learn--or be forced--to accept."

Don’t be a "good German"!

The Bush regime must be driven from power and the whole atmosphere of resurgent racism, bigotry, vigilantism, and brutal ignorance must be shattered and reversed.

The world cannot wait! Immigrants cannot wait!

Mobilize for November 2nd like the lives and futures of millions depend on it. They do.

(The original version of this article appeared online at worldcantwait.org)